“For a standard travel hockey season for my 11- and 12-year-olds, it’s over $2,000 each per season and the younger kids are a little less,” said Dinverno, a father of seven from Grass Lake. “If you do house, it’s less, but still over $1,000. That’s just for ice, your uniforms and referees.”

A youth hockey player celebrates after a goal during hockey games at the Optimist Ice Arena in Jackson Saturday, November 9, 2013. (Sam Gause | Mlive.com)

The financial burden of ice hockey, in addition to the time commitment and economic downturn in recent years, has contributed to the decline of the sport locally.

“Over the years, it’s just kind of gone downhill with the economy and businesses leaving Jackson,” said Don Trapp, general manager at Optimist Ice Arena. “It’s like a roller coaster – you peak and you drop. Right now, the roller coaster is at the bottom.”

Ice hockey in Jackson and across the state of Michigan has seen declines in popularity over the last few years -- despite rises in other states and across the nation.

The high-intensity sport is up 14.3 percent over the last decade nationally, and up 9.5 percent in the past five years. Thirty-eight states have seen increases in participation over the last 10 years, including 17 of them by 30 percent or more, according to USA Hockey’s annual public membership statistics.

Of the 12 states that saw decreases in players since 2002-03, six have seen gains over the last five years.

Michigan had already begun losing numbers when the recession hit the nation in 2008, and continued to do so. With businesses leaving the area, even the state home to “Hockeytown” took a nose dive.

The state lost 5,018 registered hockey players between the 2002-03 and 2012-13 seasons – the largest loss by any state in that period.

While the state remains second in the nation in terms of hockey participation – behind only Minnesota – its losses have been felt in Jackson.

“The recession is what started it,” said Jeff Mazur, president of the Jackson Area Hockey Association. “We have seven travel teams and seven house teams, comprised of 232 skaters. Back in 2000, there were 28 house teams and travel has always been between six and eight teams.”

Why the declining interest?

Although there’s no one culprit in the declining popularity of the sport locally, coaches, parents and others point blame at the time commitment and economic weight of playing.

“I think the problem nowadays is parents like that quick 10- to 12-week season and then go on to something different,” Trapp said. “Nowadays, you start playing hockey on the first of September and you’re not done until the end of March. And you’re here two to three nights a week – it’s a long season and big commitment for parents.”

How to help

For more information on getting involved in Jackson hockey, call 517-783-2664 or visit Optimist Ice Arena, 1300 W. North St.

When Optimist was home to 28 house teams, players didn’t have to leave Jackson to play an entire season because there were plenty of teams to compete against locally. With one or two teams per age group today, house teams are required to travel, which adds to the time commitment and subtracts further from parents’ wallets.

Registration costs cover uniforms, referee fees and ice time for practice and games. A stick, helmet and pads have their own costs, as do additional tournaments.

Despite the expenses, Trapp said the arena allows for payment plans and some teams organize fundraisers for tournaments. Used equipment is also sold at discount prices through the arena.

Beyond the economic weight is the commitment young players must make before even picking up a hockey stick.

“Another bad thing about hockey is you can’t just walk in off the street and play,” Trapp said. “First, you have to learn how to ice skate and I don’t know if (kids) don’t want to learn how, but it’s a step you have to take before playing the sport. I think that holds people back from playing hockey.”

Optimist Ice Arena holds a seven-week learn-to-skate program for $70. Other programs offered by the arena include drop-in hockey, public skating and stick and puck.

In 1997, Optimist Ice Arena built a second rink to remedy overcrowding issues. With one rink, teams were renting ice at 5 a.m. to guarantee practice time.

Nowadays, Trapp said teams are able to utilize extra ice time and various AAA and Nation’s Cup tournaments have been held at the arena, which adds financial relief.

“Yes, we’re down (as far as participation), but our teams buy more ice time now,” Trapp said. “Travel teams will buy extra ice for more games or more practices. That helps keep us afloat, plus Jackson High School and Lumen Christi have teams that play here.”

Although the arena isn’t struggling financially, it has had to scale back. Trapp’s staff is made up of six or seven employees in the summer and about 19 in the winter.

Mike Wartella, Lumen Christi High School hockey coach for 29 years, said he has seen the pool of players trying out dwindle in recent years. After about 35 players tried out in 2010, only 24 tried out for the 2013-14 season, with 20 making the varsity roster.

“If you go back even five or six years ago, our worry was more on where are we going to put all these kids,” Wartella said. “Now, we worry year to year if we’ll have enough kids to sustain (our program). In 41 years of hockey here, we’ve always been able to field a team and I hope to continue, but that’ll fall back on how the game grows at the younger age levels.”

The independent Junior Titans program, which allowed players cut from the Lumen Christi team a chance to continue playing and sharpen their skills for the next year, was cut three years ago due to limited participants.

Mounting a comeback

One of Mazur’s goals as president of JAHA is to rebuild the interest in youth hockey, starting with the 6U league for children 6 years old and younger. By making the youngest age group a free season, he hopes it will bring in more athletes to try the sport, rather than paying upwards of $1,000 to discover an interest.

Through a grant written by the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association, Mazur hopes to promote youth league ice hockey at elementary schools, providing them with T-shirts, mini sticks and mini nets.

“Hockey is a sport where you have to get basic skills at an early age; it’s not a sport people take up at 12 or 13 years old,” Wartella said. “Most go through learn-to-skate when they’re 5 or 6, get on a team at 6 or 7 and begin picking up skills at that point.”

As the economy starts to pick up, older leagues will rely on growth from the bottom up.

A $100 coupon for new participants in 2014 will be offered during the Detroit Red Wings alumni game Saturday, Nov. 16.

“Our board is actively looking at ways to make our 6U league free,” Mazur said. “I’m trying to get Optimist to give a free sheet of ice for 6U and 8U to bring a friend to play. They might like it. If the ice is just sitting there, make it free, or make it the bare minimum.”